One of the great pleasures in life is the joy of being fit.
Fitness is freedom.
It's the freedom of setting the pace during the Sunday morning group ride.
It's the freedom to attack on the hills.
It's the freedom of traveling great distances.
Fitness doesn't cost you a dime, but it don't come cheap my brothers and sisters. You need to invest time and hard labor into your craft in order to soak up the rewards.
The old school of thought was to have an off-season, mostly during Dec. thru Feb. But I say, one should strive to maintain fitness throughout the year. Yes, your fitness levels will be higher during your peaking cycles, but try not to get into that off-season mode of non-training.
"It's better to burn out than to fade away." Neil Y.
Yes, burn out is a real concern. That's why it's important to have many tricks up your sleeve.
What's my favorite sport/activity? It all depends on the season at hand. When the sun is high & bright, I'm on my bikes. In the cool Fall months, I'm running thru the woods & climbing on boulders. And when the snow hits the mountains, the boards are out of the shed. And all throughout the year, I'm swimming endless laps in the pool.
Fitness is a hard fought battle, so don't lose it during the so called off-season. Keep sharp throughout the year and mix it up to avoid burn out.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
An Intimate Affair
I love crashing thru the woods on my Gary Fisher rigid hardtail, but something is missing.
There is not a direct connection to the dirt.
Trail running is an intimate affair. Slow speeds (relative to a mt bike) and feet-to-dirt are the main factors for making trail running a different experience as compared to the mt. bike.
With running, especially on a very technical trail, your mind-to-feet sensors are usually at overload status. Your brain is processing thousands of commands within seconds. But at the same time, your brain is also soaking up all of the smells & sights that surround you.
With big tires & full suspensions, the lay of the land is lost for the mt. biker, but not for the trail runner. Since every grain of soil, rock and root is touched upon by your feet, a greater sense of the environment is realized.
Throw on a pair of running shoes, hit the trails and get closer to the dirt (this may even improve your mt biking). And in the process, have tons of fun while running thru the woods (& rivers, etc.).
There is not a direct connection to the dirt.
Trail running is an intimate affair. Slow speeds (relative to a mt bike) and feet-to-dirt are the main factors for making trail running a different experience as compared to the mt. bike.
With running, especially on a very technical trail, your mind-to-feet sensors are usually at overload status. Your brain is processing thousands of commands within seconds. But at the same time, your brain is also soaking up all of the smells & sights that surround you.
With big tires & full suspensions, the lay of the land is lost for the mt. biker, but not for the trail runner. Since every grain of soil, rock and root is touched upon by your feet, a greater sense of the environment is realized.
Throw on a pair of running shoes, hit the trails and get closer to the dirt (this may even improve your mt biking). And in the process, have tons of fun while running thru the woods (& rivers, etc.).
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Boom Boxes
iPhones - iPods - MP3 Players - whatever.
Remember the days when big, bad Boom Boxes ruled the streets? That was cool. With a Boom Box, you could stake out your own little space with your music.
People walking by, for good or bad, had to listen to your music. This usually lead to a conversation between strangers. With iPods, people don't talk to each other anymore. They just walk right by with their ears plugged up listening to some downloaded song instead of supporting their local CD store and staring at their cell phones hoping that someone calls them. It's kind of sad in a way. Everyone is in their own little, non-interacting world.
The only social-able group left are smokers.
A few years back before Joe Strummer passed away, someone asked Joe how he would make the world a better place to live. He basically said, "Turn off the fxxking TV, grab a glass of beer and head towards the streets. Talk to your neighbors, talk to strangers, get to know other people." That's good advice by me.
So, turn off your iPods for a while.
Dust off your old Boom Boxes, drop in a good tape, pump up the volume & head to the streets.
Remember Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing"? Now, that was one bad-ass Boom Box.
Remember the days when big, bad Boom Boxes ruled the streets? That was cool. With a Boom Box, you could stake out your own little space with your music.
People walking by, for good or bad, had to listen to your music. This usually lead to a conversation between strangers. With iPods, people don't talk to each other anymore. They just walk right by with their ears plugged up listening to some downloaded song instead of supporting their local CD store and staring at their cell phones hoping that someone calls them. It's kind of sad in a way. Everyone is in their own little, non-interacting world.
The only social-able group left are smokers.
A few years back before Joe Strummer passed away, someone asked Joe how he would make the world a better place to live. He basically said, "Turn off the fxxking TV, grab a glass of beer and head towards the streets. Talk to your neighbors, talk to strangers, get to know other people." That's good advice by me.
So, turn off your iPods for a while.
Dust off your old Boom Boxes, drop in a good tape, pump up the volume & head to the streets.
Remember Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing"? Now, that was one bad-ass Boom Box.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Mental Toughness
What separates the contenders from the pretenders?
Mental Toughness.
Training methods, nutrition and equipment all have reached very high levels these days. As a result, there's a lot of good people out there on the starting line. Each time I move up to a new age group, I always say to myself, this is the year that I'm going to bring home some hardware. But then some guy at the top of my age group spanks me so hard that I go home with my tail between my legs.
Years ago, you may be had a handful of people who could put the hammer down. The rest of us were just there for the beer. Now, only a few of us bring beer coolers and the rest of the field is so serious.
Who gets to stand on the podium?
It's the mental toughness (MT) factor.
It's not that mental edge, visualization or "the zone" bullshit. In my mind, MT is all about pain. Physically, most people who train hard are fairly similar in terms of physical output. It's about; "thy who suffers the most, wins" or as high school track coach used to say, "gut it out you wussy". Even if you are in top notched shape, it's still going hurt. As Greg Lemond once said, "It doesn't get any easier, you just get faster."
It all comes down to this: who has the highest pain thershold? Who can endure more pain than the rest of the field?
How to improve?
Learn to accept pain or at the very least, get used to it. And if you happen to enjoy pain, then most likely you'll be putting the hurt on everyone else.
In the past, great mountaineers (e.g., R. M.) used to train for winter ascents by taking ice baths and running bare-handed in the middle of the winter carry snowballs. They were trying to simulate the pain that they would be feeling on the actual climb.
How to perpare for suffering on the bike? Go out for a fast ride with the big boys and try to keep up. Or my personal favorite, go out for a long ride and carry no food. Bonk, but keep pushing through that wall.
"To such an extent that racers include a blowup in their training. I remember Fignon, three days before the World Championships, setting off to do three hundred kilometers alone, with a cereal bar. He went out to meet the Man with the Hammer. If Fignon needs it, just about any clown, like me, can use a blowup too." - Paul Fournel, "The Need for the Bike"
As they say, "what doesn't kill you, will make you stronger".
Feel the burn and push on through.
Mental Toughness.
Training methods, nutrition and equipment all have reached very high levels these days. As a result, there's a lot of good people out there on the starting line. Each time I move up to a new age group, I always say to myself, this is the year that I'm going to bring home some hardware. But then some guy at the top of my age group spanks me so hard that I go home with my tail between my legs.
Years ago, you may be had a handful of people who could put the hammer down. The rest of us were just there for the beer. Now, only a few of us bring beer coolers and the rest of the field is so serious.
Who gets to stand on the podium?
It's the mental toughness (MT) factor.
It's not that mental edge, visualization or "the zone" bullshit. In my mind, MT is all about pain. Physically, most people who train hard are fairly similar in terms of physical output. It's about; "thy who suffers the most, wins" or as high school track coach used to say, "gut it out you wussy". Even if you are in top notched shape, it's still going hurt. As Greg Lemond once said, "It doesn't get any easier, you just get faster."
It all comes down to this: who has the highest pain thershold? Who can endure more pain than the rest of the field?
How to improve?
Learn to accept pain or at the very least, get used to it. And if you happen to enjoy pain, then most likely you'll be putting the hurt on everyone else.
In the past, great mountaineers (e.g., R. M.) used to train for winter ascents by taking ice baths and running bare-handed in the middle of the winter carry snowballs. They were trying to simulate the pain that they would be feeling on the actual climb.
How to perpare for suffering on the bike? Go out for a fast ride with the big boys and try to keep up. Or my personal favorite, go out for a long ride and carry no food. Bonk, but keep pushing through that wall.
"To such an extent that racers include a blowup in their training. I remember Fignon, three days before the World Championships, setting off to do three hundred kilometers alone, with a cereal bar. He went out to meet the Man with the Hammer. If Fignon needs it, just about any clown, like me, can use a blowup too." - Paul Fournel, "The Need for the Bike"
As they say, "what doesn't kill you, will make you stronger".
Feel the burn and push on through.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Get Up, Stand Up for your Hills
How to get up hills on a 1-gear bike?
Lets talk physics.
You got your potential energy and you got your kinetic energy. Potential energy is really energy based on the position of the object to do work whereas kinetic energy is energy when the object is actually in motion. For example, a large boulder sitting on top of a cliff has the potential to roll down the cliff and cause some serious damage to the climbers below. The rolling boulder itself is the kinetic energy.
Physics was not my strongest subject in school, but you get the general picture of energy.
Getting up hills on a 1-gear bike is all about converting that potential energy into kinetic energy. As you approach any hill, you need to increase or at the very least, maintain your speed as you begin your ascent. In other words, you need to carry your momentum all the way through and attack the hill with speed, which makes sense because momentum is just the product of mass times velocity (p = m x v).
On the road this is pretty easy to do, just crank it up and go after the hill like it’s your long lost girlfriend. Hopefully, you are topped out before oxygen debt kicks in. On the dirt, it’s a different story. It’s not always easy to build up momentum before you attack a hill. That’s why reading the terrain on a 1-gear mt. bike is so important and takes some experience to dial it in. You need to know when to rev it up and when to coast through. This makes riding single speed mt. bikes fun and challenging, too.
Free tip # 1– people talk about weaving your fixed down a hill like a salmon ski racer in order to slow down. But I say, weave your way up a hill to make it easier. Think about hiking up a mountain. Most mountains have switchbacks to make the climb easier. So on a tough hill, cut across the road to reduce the steepness of the climb. Also, practice coming out of the “S” turn at a sharp angle and you’ll pick up a little speed to see you through the next turn (kind of like pumping your skateboard on the flats to maintain speed).
Lets talk physics.
You got your potential energy and you got your kinetic energy. Potential energy is really energy based on the position of the object to do work whereas kinetic energy is energy when the object is actually in motion. For example, a large boulder sitting on top of a cliff has the potential to roll down the cliff and cause some serious damage to the climbers below. The rolling boulder itself is the kinetic energy.
Physics was not my strongest subject in school, but you get the general picture of energy.
Getting up hills on a 1-gear bike is all about converting that potential energy into kinetic energy. As you approach any hill, you need to increase or at the very least, maintain your speed as you begin your ascent. In other words, you need to carry your momentum all the way through and attack the hill with speed, which makes sense because momentum is just the product of mass times velocity (p = m x v).
On the road this is pretty easy to do, just crank it up and go after the hill like it’s your long lost girlfriend. Hopefully, you are topped out before oxygen debt kicks in. On the dirt, it’s a different story. It’s not always easy to build up momentum before you attack a hill. That’s why reading the terrain on a 1-gear mt. bike is so important and takes some experience to dial it in. You need to know when to rev it up and when to coast through. This makes riding single speed mt. bikes fun and challenging, too.
Free tip # 1– people talk about weaving your fixed down a hill like a salmon ski racer in order to slow down. But I say, weave your way up a hill to make it easier. Think about hiking up a mountain. Most mountains have switchbacks to make the climb easier. So on a tough hill, cut across the road to reduce the steepness of the climb. Also, practice coming out of the “S” turn at a sharp angle and you’ll pick up a little speed to see you through the next turn (kind of like pumping your skateboard on the flats to maintain speed).
Friday, May 25, 2007
Al Gore is Right
I was never a big Al Gore fan, but he’s onto something – global warming.
What does a single-speeder like me know about global warming? The answer is lots. I won’t bore you with the details, but I spent ~ 3 years drilling and analyzing ice cores from Greenland and the South Pole (http://www.ccrc.sr.unh.edu/). And the fact is, Earth is heading down a rough road. Throw in the future lack of oil into the mix, and we have a world of trouble ahead of us.
I’ll probably be dead by the time the world implodes, but future generations will have a lot to deal with.
The ice core data show that man is impacting the atmosphere and the planet is slowly warming – no debate there. As that continues to happen, all sorts of shit will hit the fan - Mad Max part II. Water will become more valuable than oil.
What will affect the Earth the most, in my opinion? Well, as the temperature begins to increase, huge amounts of fresh water (from the melting polar ice caps) will be dumped into the world’s oceans. In very simple terms, the oceans affect the global climate. So, you start messing around with the oceans; you’ll change the global climate for sure.
Look at the company Patagonia; they are slowly shifting from an alpine company to a surf company – less ice, more surf (http://www.thecleanestline.com/).
Can “one gear conquers all” save the world? Sure it can. By living simply, you can do a lot to slow down global warming. We are all consumers. The question is how can we each reduce our own footprint?
For me, it’s simple. I live in a modest house, keep my thermostat at 60°F & use no AC in the summer. Yes, I drive a car, but I bike to work about 7 months out of the year. I do other things like try to buy locally, use an old-fashion push lawn mower when possible, etc., but the most important thing that I do is THINK before I buy. It takes lots of energy to make & ship stuff, be it sneakers or CDs. So before I buy something, I say, “do I really need it?”
“Wear it out, make it last, make do or do without it” – An old New England saying.
Does one suffer from the lack of crap? No. By reducing the crap in your life, you become more focused on the things that really matter to you. Reduction is clarity. Think about a fixed gear bike. All the unnecessary parts are stripped away and you just focus on one thing – pedaling. How great is that?
Do your part to prove Al Gore wrong.
What does a single-speeder like me know about global warming? The answer is lots. I won’t bore you with the details, but I spent ~ 3 years drilling and analyzing ice cores from Greenland and the South Pole (http://www.ccrc.sr.unh.edu/). And the fact is, Earth is heading down a rough road. Throw in the future lack of oil into the mix, and we have a world of trouble ahead of us.
I’ll probably be dead by the time the world implodes, but future generations will have a lot to deal with.
The ice core data show that man is impacting the atmosphere and the planet is slowly warming – no debate there. As that continues to happen, all sorts of shit will hit the fan - Mad Max part II. Water will become more valuable than oil.
What will affect the Earth the most, in my opinion? Well, as the temperature begins to increase, huge amounts of fresh water (from the melting polar ice caps) will be dumped into the world’s oceans. In very simple terms, the oceans affect the global climate. So, you start messing around with the oceans; you’ll change the global climate for sure.
Look at the company Patagonia; they are slowly shifting from an alpine company to a surf company – less ice, more surf (http://www.thecleanestline.com/).
Can “one gear conquers all” save the world? Sure it can. By living simply, you can do a lot to slow down global warming. We are all consumers. The question is how can we each reduce our own footprint?
For me, it’s simple. I live in a modest house, keep my thermostat at 60°F & use no AC in the summer. Yes, I drive a car, but I bike to work about 7 months out of the year. I do other things like try to buy locally, use an old-fashion push lawn mower when possible, etc., but the most important thing that I do is THINK before I buy. It takes lots of energy to make & ship stuff, be it sneakers or CDs. So before I buy something, I say, “do I really need it?”
“Wear it out, make it last, make do or do without it” – An old New England saying.
Does one suffer from the lack of crap? No. By reducing the crap in your life, you become more focused on the things that really matter to you. Reduction is clarity. Think about a fixed gear bike. All the unnecessary parts are stripped away and you just focus on one thing – pedaling. How great is that?
Do your part to prove Al Gore wrong.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Reflections on a Fine Adventure
About this time last year, I along with two buddies rode our bikes from the Bay Area down to San Diego, CA. Two of us (Casey Shimizu & Roman Holiday) rode our single speed bikes. A few weeks later, I wrote a short story called “Never Pass Up a Clean Bathroom”, which was posted on October 31, 2006. That short piece of literature was a first hand narrative of our travels over five days.Looking back on that trip after a year has passed me by; I have realized that our bike trip was much more than just pedaling our way down the coast.
Way back in 1984, when I was just 21 years old and obsessed with rock climbing (and pissed off with my ex-girl friend), I stuffed $300 (all of my savings) into my wallet and headed West on a Greyhound bus (sounds like a country song). About 4 days later, I was sleeping on pine needles in Yosemite Valley. I had a photocopy of a map from an old National Geographic magazine & enough oatmeal to last me the summer. I was set for life.
I spent the summer living on about $3 a day (it was easy to skip out on campground fees back in those days when you were a backpacker). Living so simply allowed me to climb, hike and enjoy the mountains everyday – no distractions. That trip drove home my love for the mountains that has been with me my whole life. Yosemite Valley is firmly implanted in my brain forever.
OK, back to present.
Our 2006 “One Gear One Coast” bike trip is also firmly implanted in my brain cells for similar reasons. Casey Shimizu and I decided to stripped away all of the bullshit and just focus on the ride – no distractions.
So, we packed lightly and rode simply.
This allowed us to solely focus on the movement of the bike through some incredible scenery.
Most of those five days of traveling down the coast are really just a blur in my mind, but certain sections of the trip still remain very clear in my memory. Times when work is rough, I often think about us three hammering our way towards San Diego as I also think about my many “sleeping under the stars” nights during my summer in Yosemite.
At the end of the day, only four things really matter in life - family, friends, health and memories. So get on that bike and go. Keep your trips simple. Memories of fine adventures will last you a lifetime.
For Casey Shimizu’s description of his single speed adventure, please read “The Original Ride” - http://straightchain.com/information.php?info_id=5&osCsid=1ed203f12633be1452b2fa9bf80bca96
Friday, May 11, 2007
The Three Kings - Bouldering in NJ
Forget Cradle Rock in Princeton (NJ). Princeton is full of snobs anyways and spoiled college kids. And plus, Cradle Rock is now closed to climbers.
Morris County (NJ) is the place to be for bouldering in the Garden State (and yes, there are still gardens in NJ). Trust me on this one. I’ve been looking for boulders in NJ for almost 18 years now. And the funny thing is that the three best places to hit are all within ~ 15 minutes or so of each other.
The Three Kings are:
Tourne Park
Pyramid Mountain
Split Rock
I have been bouldering for a long time throughout the Northeast and a little bit out West, and some of these rocks are good as it gets. No need to travel up to the Gunks every weekend and contend with the beanie-wearing kids who probably don’t even know who John Gill is. How can you boulder and not know who John Gill is? Read “John Gill: Master of Rock” by Pat Ament.
All of these boulders are essentially located within the Denville / Boonton town lines.
Maps can be obtained through the Morris County NJ Park Commission and/or just buy a Morris County road map.
Here’s the skinny are each area.
First, some rules to (please) follow:
No. 1: Bouldering is not “officially” allowed in these parks - maintain a low profile bro.
No. 2: Be nice to the hikers and the high school kids making out in the woods.
No. 3: Don’t even think about littering.
No. 4: Keep your group small (2 - 3 people max).
No. 5: Ease up on the chalk.
No. 6: No landscaping around the boulders.
No. 7: Check yourself for ticks, especially for deer ticks.
Tourne Park:
Most of the good boulders are located inside of the “loop” trail. The rocks are very easy to find. This is a great place to get a lot of hang time without burning too much daylight as most of the boulders are close to each other. Have fun. Afterwards, hit the Denville Diary for a vanilla milk shake (the original power drink).
Pyramid Mountain:
This is my favorite place to trail run & explore in NJ. Check out my Dec. 20th (2006) posting for the low down on the boulders. Lots to do here – enjoy the area.
Split Rock:
This is my newest area to explore. I have scouted out some nice boulders during some of my hikes here. The hike around the lake is a great trail run. Also, this is a great place to practice open water swimming even though swimming is not allowed here. But again, keep a low profile and you should be OK. Just stay away from the dam; otherwise you’ll be sucked over the falls. I’ll report more on the bouldering once I fully check out the rocks here, but there appears to be lots to do.
To sum it all up, 3 of the best places to boulder in NJ, in my opinion, are all located in beautiful and expensive Morris County NJ. Like most of my posted “guides”, I purposefully leave out the details so that individuals can explore and make some mistakes along the way.
In today’s world of GPS, OnStar, www, etc., there’s not much out there to discover on your own. So roam through the woods, get dirty, figure things out on your own & climb as many rocks as you can, and may be I’ll see you out there.
Morris County (NJ) is the place to be for bouldering in the Garden State (and yes, there are still gardens in NJ). Trust me on this one. I’ve been looking for boulders in NJ for almost 18 years now. And the funny thing is that the three best places to hit are all within ~ 15 minutes or so of each other.
The Three Kings are:
Tourne Park
Pyramid Mountain
Split Rock
I have been bouldering for a long time throughout the Northeast and a little bit out West, and some of these rocks are good as it gets. No need to travel up to the Gunks every weekend and contend with the beanie-wearing kids who probably don’t even know who John Gill is. How can you boulder and not know who John Gill is? Read “John Gill: Master of Rock” by Pat Ament.
All of these boulders are essentially located within the Denville / Boonton town lines.
Maps can be obtained through the Morris County NJ Park Commission and/or just buy a Morris County road map.
Here’s the skinny are each area.
First, some rules to (please) follow:
No. 1: Bouldering is not “officially” allowed in these parks - maintain a low profile bro.
No. 2: Be nice to the hikers and the high school kids making out in the woods.
No. 3: Don’t even think about littering.
No. 4: Keep your group small (2 - 3 people max).
No. 5: Ease up on the chalk.
No. 6: No landscaping around the boulders.
No. 7: Check yourself for ticks, especially for deer ticks.
Tourne Park:
Most of the good boulders are located inside of the “loop” trail. The rocks are very easy to find. This is a great place to get a lot of hang time without burning too much daylight as most of the boulders are close to each other. Have fun. Afterwards, hit the Denville Diary for a vanilla milk shake (the original power drink).
Pyramid Mountain:
This is my favorite place to trail run & explore in NJ. Check out my Dec. 20th (2006) posting for the low down on the boulders. Lots to do here – enjoy the area.
Split Rock:
This is my newest area to explore. I have scouted out some nice boulders during some of my hikes here. The hike around the lake is a great trail run. Also, this is a great place to practice open water swimming even though swimming is not allowed here. But again, keep a low profile and you should be OK. Just stay away from the dam; otherwise you’ll be sucked over the falls. I’ll report more on the bouldering once I fully check out the rocks here, but there appears to be lots to do.
To sum it all up, 3 of the best places to boulder in NJ, in my opinion, are all located in beautiful and expensive Morris County NJ. Like most of my posted “guides”, I purposefully leave out the details so that individuals can explore and make some mistakes along the way.
In today’s world of GPS, OnStar, www, etc., there’s not much out there to discover on your own. So roam through the woods, get dirty, figure things out on your own & climb as many rocks as you can, and may be I’ll see you out there.
http://www.morrisparks.net/index.asp
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Respect Your Elders
“Experience beats youth every time.”
Let me set the stage for you. I am older than 40, but younger than 45, and consider myself to be in decent shape with the amount of training that I can squeeze in between work and life.
As I was cycling home yesterday from work (~ 25 miles one way), I hooked up with another cyclist with about 9 miles to go. I am guessing that this guy was about 55 or so.
The cat and mouse game begins.
I pass him; he passes me. Every time that I think I dropped him, he’s right back on my wheel. As we come upon a red light, I slow down in order to stop. I turned to my left and this guy blows right through the red light. I’m like, shit, this guy is serious. So, I pushed hard and passed him again.
I start feeling sick to my stomach, which means that I am at or near my max heart rate. Anyways, this guy is giving me a true run for my money.
As we slow down and approach town together, he reaches out and shakes my hand and says, “Hello, I’m Johnny D.” I’m still in a race haze, so I am not sure if I caught his name correctly. We talked for a bit, a real friendly guy.
Then I said, “I don’t mean to be rude, but how old are you?” Johnny D. says, “67.” Damn, you’re 20 years older than me and you taught me a lesson out there on the road. “Well, I try to ride 25 miles everyday” says Mr. D.
As we went our separate ways, I said, “You’re a true inspiration to me, 67 and still schooling the youngsters. God bless you.”
I vowed to push my training a bit harder next time.
Let me set the stage for you. I am older than 40, but younger than 45, and consider myself to be in decent shape with the amount of training that I can squeeze in between work and life.
As I was cycling home yesterday from work (~ 25 miles one way), I hooked up with another cyclist with about 9 miles to go. I am guessing that this guy was about 55 or so.
The cat and mouse game begins.
I pass him; he passes me. Every time that I think I dropped him, he’s right back on my wheel. As we come upon a red light, I slow down in order to stop. I turned to my left and this guy blows right through the red light. I’m like, shit, this guy is serious. So, I pushed hard and passed him again.
I start feeling sick to my stomach, which means that I am at or near my max heart rate. Anyways, this guy is giving me a true run for my money.
As we slow down and approach town together, he reaches out and shakes my hand and says, “Hello, I’m Johnny D.” I’m still in a race haze, so I am not sure if I caught his name correctly. We talked for a bit, a real friendly guy.
Then I said, “I don’t mean to be rude, but how old are you?” Johnny D. says, “67.” Damn, you’re 20 years older than me and you taught me a lesson out there on the road. “Well, I try to ride 25 miles everyday” says Mr. D.
As we went our separate ways, I said, “You’re a true inspiration to me, 67 and still schooling the youngsters. God bless you.”
I vowed to push my training a bit harder next time.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Heaven
“Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens.” – Talking Heads
Riding a one-gear bike takes effort, especially when hills are involved. And sometimes it’s a real struggle out there. But every so often, Heaven is reached on the road. The grade of the road, the selected gear ratio and leg strength all come together at once to form Heaven on Earth. And then at this point, you are effortlessly flying down the road, like you are being towed up a ski slope, passing anyone who stands in your way.
For me it typically happens, but not always, on a long, slight uphill. But you can never truly predict when you’ll reach Heaven, but you’ll know for sure once you are there. There’s no denying it. And as soon as it happens, it’s over. Don’t try to hang on to it. Let it go brother; walk away from it. Too much of a good thing is bad. Look what happened to Adam & Eve.
The funny thing is that I don’t reach Heaven on my geared bikes. Yeah sure, I get into a nice groove on my racing machine, but it’s not the same thing. I’m not sure why? May be we (i.e., one-gear riders) are being rewarded for all of our suffering.
Unless you have experienced Heaven on a one-gear bike (fixed or single speed), it’s hard to explain to someone who has not been to the Promise Land. And this my brothers and sisters is why riding a one-gear bike is so special – we can taste a little bit of Heaven on Earth without selling our souls to Mr. Shimano.
Amen to that.
Riding a one-gear bike takes effort, especially when hills are involved. And sometimes it’s a real struggle out there. But every so often, Heaven is reached on the road. The grade of the road, the selected gear ratio and leg strength all come together at once to form Heaven on Earth. And then at this point, you are effortlessly flying down the road, like you are being towed up a ski slope, passing anyone who stands in your way.
For me it typically happens, but not always, on a long, slight uphill. But you can never truly predict when you’ll reach Heaven, but you’ll know for sure once you are there. There’s no denying it. And as soon as it happens, it’s over. Don’t try to hang on to it. Let it go brother; walk away from it. Too much of a good thing is bad. Look what happened to Adam & Eve.
The funny thing is that I don’t reach Heaven on my geared bikes. Yeah sure, I get into a nice groove on my racing machine, but it’s not the same thing. I’m not sure why? May be we (i.e., one-gear riders) are being rewarded for all of our suffering.
Unless you have experienced Heaven on a one-gear bike (fixed or single speed), it’s hard to explain to someone who has not been to the Promise Land. And this my brothers and sisters is why riding a one-gear bike is so special – we can taste a little bit of Heaven on Earth without selling our souls to Mr. Shimano.
Amen to that.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Gearing Down
Let me say up front, I could never push a big gear. I’m a spinning, not a masher.
For my one gear road and dirt bikes, I have tried them all. 48 x 16, 48 x 18, 46 x 18, 42 x 16, 42 x 17, 42 x 18 and 40 x 18. Keep in mind, I live in a hilly area and I enjoy riding the hills.
After experimenting with a wide range of gear ratios (81 – 60”), I’m convinced that going low is the way to go except if you ride in a totally flat area. Gearing down is good for your knees. Gelato (my fixed/single speed Pista) is geared at 69” for the roads and Roman Holiday (my single speed cyclo-cross rig) is geared at 60” for the trails.
Rule number one in life – protect thy knees. Trust me on this one. If you cycle, run, ski, hike, etc., your knees will bark back one day, some sooner than others. But by taking good care of your knees now, you can remain active & fit until you are 6 feet under. So going light on the gears is the right thing to do.
When cranking on a big gear, especially on a hill, fluid is displaced out from under the patella (i.e., knee cap). No fluid equals bone on bone. Then the underside of the knee cap begins to wear down and this will lead to chromdromalacia – pain and loss of some mobility. By staying light on the gears, one spins with great ease on the flats and the hills now become bearable (i.e., less pressure on the knees, which is a good thing). No doubt you’ll lose some of your speed on the flats, but you’ll thank me in 20 years from now for your healthy knees. And plus, spinning fast looks cool.
Here’s another tip: keep thy knees warm. I wear knee warmers up to 70F. A warm knee is a happy knee. And now you have an excuse to wear those hip knickers.
Note: I am an EMT, and not a doctor (I don’t even play one on TV), but I have lots of experience dealing with all types of acute and chronic injuries. The key to remaining active is treat your body parts nicely at a young age and you’ll be on the go for a very long time until cancer or something else kills you. Unless you’re a professional cyclist, why hurt yourself? We are just trying to add a few more years to our lives.
There is one good piece of news to report on my so-called damaged knees. I can tell you, with a great amount of certainty, if it is going to rain or snow up to 3 days in advance.
For my one gear road and dirt bikes, I have tried them all. 48 x 16, 48 x 18, 46 x 18, 42 x 16, 42 x 17, 42 x 18 and 40 x 18. Keep in mind, I live in a hilly area and I enjoy riding the hills.
After experimenting with a wide range of gear ratios (81 – 60”), I’m convinced that going low is the way to go except if you ride in a totally flat area. Gearing down is good for your knees. Gelato (my fixed/single speed Pista) is geared at 69” for the roads and Roman Holiday (my single speed cyclo-cross rig) is geared at 60” for the trails.
Rule number one in life – protect thy knees. Trust me on this one. If you cycle, run, ski, hike, etc., your knees will bark back one day, some sooner than others. But by taking good care of your knees now, you can remain active & fit until you are 6 feet under. So going light on the gears is the right thing to do.
When cranking on a big gear, especially on a hill, fluid is displaced out from under the patella (i.e., knee cap). No fluid equals bone on bone. Then the underside of the knee cap begins to wear down and this will lead to chromdromalacia – pain and loss of some mobility. By staying light on the gears, one spins with great ease on the flats and the hills now become bearable (i.e., less pressure on the knees, which is a good thing). No doubt you’ll lose some of your speed on the flats, but you’ll thank me in 20 years from now for your healthy knees. And plus, spinning fast looks cool.
Here’s another tip: keep thy knees warm. I wear knee warmers up to 70F. A warm knee is a happy knee. And now you have an excuse to wear those hip knickers.
Note: I am an EMT, and not a doctor (I don’t even play one on TV), but I have lots of experience dealing with all types of acute and chronic injuries. The key to remaining active is treat your body parts nicely at a young age and you’ll be on the go for a very long time until cancer or something else kills you. Unless you’re a professional cyclist, why hurt yourself? We are just trying to add a few more years to our lives.
There is one good piece of news to report on my so-called damaged knees. I can tell you, with a great amount of certainty, if it is going to rain or snow up to 3 days in advance.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Bike Commuters
Bike Commuters – the forgotten class.
Right now, it’s hip to be a bike messenger (or at least someone who dresses like one). And to those messengers who are in it for the long term, hats off to you guys (and girls). It’s a rough gig for sure.
But how about us bike commuters?
We are also out there everyday, dealing with the same dumb ass, Starbucks drinking, cell phone talking, MapQuest directions reading SUV drivers. And plus we don’t even paid for riding our bikes, at least not directly (i.e., we do save money on gas). The big bonus is that we are helping Al Gore to reduce CO2 and slow down global warming by leaving the car at home.
Even though most bike commuters do not usually have tats and other various forms of body art, most of us do have a bit of a punk attitude under our 3-piece suits. I mean riding a bike to work, especially in a crowded traffic area, is all about taking a stand against the status quo. Yes, we are rebels too.
So for all you bike messengers out there, give us a nod the next time you pass one of us (or when we pass you). We are brothers and sisters of the cog.
Right now, it’s hip to be a bike messenger (or at least someone who dresses like one). And to those messengers who are in it for the long term, hats off to you guys (and girls). It’s a rough gig for sure.
But how about us bike commuters?
We are also out there everyday, dealing with the same dumb ass, Starbucks drinking, cell phone talking, MapQuest directions reading SUV drivers. And plus we don’t even paid for riding our bikes, at least not directly (i.e., we do save money on gas). The big bonus is that we are helping Al Gore to reduce CO2 and slow down global warming by leaving the car at home.
Even though most bike commuters do not usually have tats and other various forms of body art, most of us do have a bit of a punk attitude under our 3-piece suits. I mean riding a bike to work, especially in a crowded traffic area, is all about taking a stand against the status quo. Yes, we are rebels too.
So for all you bike messengers out there, give us a nod the next time you pass one of us (or when we pass you). We are brothers and sisters of the cog.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Escarpment Trail Run
Escarpment Trail Run
Catskills, NY
Last Sunday in July
30 km (~ 19 miles)
10,000 ft up & down
West to East
Start on Rt. 23, Windham High Peak (~4 miles), Blackhead (~10 miles), Stoppel Point (~15 miles) & Finish at North Lake
The Escarpment Trail Run is THE classic Northeast trail race. I ran this race a few years back and had a blast.
The Adirondacks and the Whites get all of the attention, but the forgotten Catskills, in some ways, are a better deal. First of all, the place is empty, especially in the winter. Even though these mountains are only about 2.5 hours north of NYC, there is much wilderness to be had if one is up for a little exploration. Also, the Catskills have great ice to climb. Not much rock, but the Gunks are just down the road – so no problem there. And one last thing, most of the trails in the Catskills tend to go straight up, no western switchbacks here. So, these small peaks are a great cardio-training ground. The Slide Mt. Loop (~ 19 miles or so) is my favorite training route.
Here’s the scoop on the Escarpment Trail Run. The race starts on Rt. 23 and goes west to east. The first major peak is Windham at ~ 4 miles, no big deal. This is an easy cruise to the top. Next at ~ 10 miles is Blackhead. It takes a stout effort to reach the top here. Dropping down on the backside is a bit rough on the knees. The last big peak is Stoppel Point (~ 15 miles). After that, it’s a downhill cruise to North Lake.
The question that every Escarpment virgin asks, “Is it hard?”
The application paints a grim picture and the qualifications are a bit steep in order to run the race, but I personally thought that the race wasn’t too difficult.
Here’s why.
Sure, if you’re coming strictly from a road running background, you’ll suffer. But if you have spent much time in hiking boots, you’ll be fine. For me, the Escarpment was only my second long distance trail run, but for the last 30 years or so, I’ve been roaming the mountains of the Northeast. And when I hike, it’s usually at a fast pace. I come from a family of fast walkers. When I was in 6th grade, my brothers and I did the March of Dimes Walk-a-thon in 5 hours flat (that's 20 miles). I was speed hiking before speed hiking was hip. Trail running, at least on very technical trails, is just speed hiking.
So, I approached the Escarpment Trail Run as just another speed hike. I carried a small pack with 100 oz water (heat is always the X-factor for this race), some P&Js and corn chips (great for salt replacement). Throughout the race, I drank and pissed like a racehorse. I crossed the finish line just under 5 hours and felt great at the end. My time was about 1 hour below the 6-hour cut-off mark. The winning times are about 3 hours, but considering that the only training I did was walking my dog, riding my bike and some long day hikes, my time of less than 5 hours was not too shabby. And plus, I took my time on the down hills to preserve my knees (why wreak your knees when you’re a middle-of-the-packer?).
Yes, the Escarpment has a well-deserved reputation as a tough race, but if you spend lots of time hiking in the mountains and approach race day as just another speed hike adventure, you’ll do fine.
Sign up and run it. And watch for the bees.
http://escarpmenttrail.com/
Catskills, NY
Last Sunday in July
30 km (~ 19 miles)
10,000 ft up & down
West to East
Start on Rt. 23, Windham High Peak (~4 miles), Blackhead (~10 miles), Stoppel Point (~15 miles) & Finish at North Lake
The Escarpment Trail Run is THE classic Northeast trail race. I ran this race a few years back and had a blast.
The Adirondacks and the Whites get all of the attention, but the forgotten Catskills, in some ways, are a better deal. First of all, the place is empty, especially in the winter. Even though these mountains are only about 2.5 hours north of NYC, there is much wilderness to be had if one is up for a little exploration. Also, the Catskills have great ice to climb. Not much rock, but the Gunks are just down the road – so no problem there. And one last thing, most of the trails in the Catskills tend to go straight up, no western switchbacks here. So, these small peaks are a great cardio-training ground. The Slide Mt. Loop (~ 19 miles or so) is my favorite training route.
Here’s the scoop on the Escarpment Trail Run. The race starts on Rt. 23 and goes west to east. The first major peak is Windham at ~ 4 miles, no big deal. This is an easy cruise to the top. Next at ~ 10 miles is Blackhead. It takes a stout effort to reach the top here. Dropping down on the backside is a bit rough on the knees. The last big peak is Stoppel Point (~ 15 miles). After that, it’s a downhill cruise to North Lake.
The question that every Escarpment virgin asks, “Is it hard?”
The application paints a grim picture and the qualifications are a bit steep in order to run the race, but I personally thought that the race wasn’t too difficult.
Here’s why.
Sure, if you’re coming strictly from a road running background, you’ll suffer. But if you have spent much time in hiking boots, you’ll be fine. For me, the Escarpment was only my second long distance trail run, but for the last 30 years or so, I’ve been roaming the mountains of the Northeast. And when I hike, it’s usually at a fast pace. I come from a family of fast walkers. When I was in 6th grade, my brothers and I did the March of Dimes Walk-a-thon in 5 hours flat (that's 20 miles). I was speed hiking before speed hiking was hip. Trail running, at least on very technical trails, is just speed hiking.
So, I approached the Escarpment Trail Run as just another speed hike. I carried a small pack with 100 oz water (heat is always the X-factor for this race), some P&Js and corn chips (great for salt replacement). Throughout the race, I drank and pissed like a racehorse. I crossed the finish line just under 5 hours and felt great at the end. My time was about 1 hour below the 6-hour cut-off mark. The winning times are about 3 hours, but considering that the only training I did was walking my dog, riding my bike and some long day hikes, my time of less than 5 hours was not too shabby. And plus, I took my time on the down hills to preserve my knees (why wreak your knees when you’re a middle-of-the-packer?).
Yes, the Escarpment has a well-deserved reputation as a tough race, but if you spend lots of time hiking in the mountains and approach race day as just another speed hike adventure, you’ll do fine.
Sign up and run it. And watch for the bees.
http://escarpmenttrail.com/
Monday, April 02, 2007
Saturday Morning Ride
Gelato (my beloved Pista) and I were out for our usually Saturday morning training ride when I looked behind me and pace line of four riders were gaining on us. I’m still recovering from a left knee injury, so my legs are a bit weak at the moment. But I have been swimming like damn AquaMan all winter – doing endless laps and intervals – so my lungs are super strong.
Anyways, I hold off the pace line for about 5 minutes or so, but then I looked to my left and there they were. As the third guy passes me, he looks at Gelato and then he looks at me, and says with a smart ass tone in his voice – “Oh, a traditionalist.” I smiled and say, “Just enjoying the ride.” But deep down inside I’m thinking, “Screw you pretty boy.”
So, I slipped in behind the pace line. Gelato is so quite that I don’t think they realized that I was back there. After a few minutes, I am rested and ready to put the hammer down. As we approach a tight left bend in the road with an upcoming car, I jumped left onto the double yellow and sprinted past the pace line. I red-lined it for about a minute. Then I ease back into the saddle, get low on the ball horns and get down to business. I never looked back; I just spin like a madman. My lungs hurt and I feel sick to my stomach. When I finally eased up and looked around, the pace line is way behind me. I’m hurting, but at the same time, I feel good.
Yeah, I’m a traditionalist. I have a tradition of kicking your butt when you make a dumb ass comment at Gelato and me.
Towards the end of my ride, I chased down a rider on the last big hill, which took a stout effort to do. When I finally pulled up to the rider, I discovered that the rider was an older woman out on her Bike Friday – just enjoying the ride. We had a nice talk as we headed into town.
Anyways, I hold off the pace line for about 5 minutes or so, but then I looked to my left and there they were. As the third guy passes me, he looks at Gelato and then he looks at me, and says with a smart ass tone in his voice – “Oh, a traditionalist.” I smiled and say, “Just enjoying the ride.” But deep down inside I’m thinking, “Screw you pretty boy.”
So, I slipped in behind the pace line. Gelato is so quite that I don’t think they realized that I was back there. After a few minutes, I am rested and ready to put the hammer down. As we approach a tight left bend in the road with an upcoming car, I jumped left onto the double yellow and sprinted past the pace line. I red-lined it for about a minute. Then I ease back into the saddle, get low on the ball horns and get down to business. I never looked back; I just spin like a madman. My lungs hurt and I feel sick to my stomach. When I finally eased up and looked around, the pace line is way behind me. I’m hurting, but at the same time, I feel good.
Yeah, I’m a traditionalist. I have a tradition of kicking your butt when you make a dumb ass comment at Gelato and me.
Towards the end of my ride, I chased down a rider on the last big hill, which took a stout effort to do. When I finally pulled up to the rider, I discovered that the rider was an older woman out on her Bike Friday – just enjoying the ride. We had a nice talk as we headed into town.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Dressing the Part
Know what bugs me? People who dress the part, but when you call their bluff, they know Jack.
For example, truck driver hat wearing, PBR drinking hipsters who think they’re bike messengers, 50 year old MBA guys riding Hogs who think they’re bad boys, North Face jacket Blue-Tooth yuppies who think they’re hardcore climbers, etc.
Case in point, I was walking down a hill yesterday with my dog Scout and we ran into 2 kids with skateboards walking up. Yeah, they were dressed the part with their “skateboard clothes”.
So I said to them, “You guys going run the hill from the top?” Then one of the skaters said, “That’s sick, dude”. I reply, “When I was your age, we used to bomb hills like this all the time. Just point it straight and ride it out.” They gave me a nasty look like shut up old man. My departing words were, “You guys are wussies and you’re a disagree to the Z-boys.” They said, “Z who?” I just lowered my head and walked away in disgust.
When I started to skateboard in the early 1970’s, there were no “image clothes”; except for some local surfing t-shirts. You just wore whatever clothes you had, which were pretty much hand-me-downs from the older brothers. We just wanted to skate as much as possible. Clothes were secondary.
Now image, via heavy-duty marketing, drives everything (e.g., brand named clothes, iPods, flip-flops, etc.). Image is more important than the actual activity itself. In my upper-middle class neighborhood, I see tons of kids walking around while holding their boards like a damn prop. I just want to yell, “Drop the board and skate.”
Just go out and do it. And don’t worry so much about your looks.
For example, truck driver hat wearing, PBR drinking hipsters who think they’re bike messengers, 50 year old MBA guys riding Hogs who think they’re bad boys, North Face jacket Blue-Tooth yuppies who think they’re hardcore climbers, etc.
Case in point, I was walking down a hill yesterday with my dog Scout and we ran into 2 kids with skateboards walking up. Yeah, they were dressed the part with their “skateboard clothes”.
So I said to them, “You guys going run the hill from the top?” Then one of the skaters said, “That’s sick, dude”. I reply, “When I was your age, we used to bomb hills like this all the time. Just point it straight and ride it out.” They gave me a nasty look like shut up old man. My departing words were, “You guys are wussies and you’re a disagree to the Z-boys.” They said, “Z who?” I just lowered my head and walked away in disgust.
When I started to skateboard in the early 1970’s, there were no “image clothes”; except for some local surfing t-shirts. You just wore whatever clothes you had, which were pretty much hand-me-downs from the older brothers. We just wanted to skate as much as possible. Clothes were secondary.
Now image, via heavy-duty marketing, drives everything (e.g., brand named clothes, iPods, flip-flops, etc.). Image is more important than the actual activity itself. In my upper-middle class neighborhood, I see tons of kids walking around while holding their boards like a damn prop. I just want to yell, “Drop the board and skate.”
Just go out and do it. And don’t worry so much about your looks.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Labor is Honorable
“Lord, give me work that’s open to the sky and that’s honest as the horse between my knees.” - Johnny Cash (the original punk rocker)
There’s a statue of E.J. Johnson (as in shoes) on the west side of Binghamton (NY) in Rec. Park that says, “Labor is Honorable”. That statue was a gift from the townspeople to Mr. Johnson, who at one time had most of the Triple Cities’ residents on the payroll.
Hard work keeps you honest.
Hard work is good for the soul.
It’s good to see more and more folks riding one gear bikes because Americans are getting way too fat, lazy and soft. (Why hasn’t a US runner won a major marathon in years? Please see previous sentence for answer.) We, as a country, want everything so easy and guaranteed.
Just look at our immigration mess in the US. Why can’t our government come up with a fair and legal immigration system? It shouldn’t be that difficult? Right?
Know why our government hasn’t come up with an immigration solution? Who else would dig our ditches? Who else would cut our lawns? When I grew up, we all spent time at the end of a shovel. Middle class Americans don’t dig holes any more. And me, I’m probably the only guy in my neighborhood that still cuts his own lawn.
OK. Focus (sorry).
With a geared bike, you know that you can make it over any hill. The only question is, how fast? On a one gear bike, it takes a stout effort to get over any hill and the outcome isn’t always certain. The “walk of shame” is always a possibility. It takes good, old hard work to ride hills on a one gear bike.
So, get on that one gear bike and earn your hills (or as they say in backcountry skiing, “earn your turns”). And don’t be afraid of a little hard work, it’s good for you.
There’s a statue of E.J. Johnson (as in shoes) on the west side of Binghamton (NY) in Rec. Park that says, “Labor is Honorable”. That statue was a gift from the townspeople to Mr. Johnson, who at one time had most of the Triple Cities’ residents on the payroll.
Hard work keeps you honest.
Hard work is good for the soul.
It’s good to see more and more folks riding one gear bikes because Americans are getting way too fat, lazy and soft. (Why hasn’t a US runner won a major marathon in years? Please see previous sentence for answer.) We, as a country, want everything so easy and guaranteed.
Just look at our immigration mess in the US. Why can’t our government come up with a fair and legal immigration system? It shouldn’t be that difficult? Right?
Know why our government hasn’t come up with an immigration solution? Who else would dig our ditches? Who else would cut our lawns? When I grew up, we all spent time at the end of a shovel. Middle class Americans don’t dig holes any more. And me, I’m probably the only guy in my neighborhood that still cuts his own lawn.
OK. Focus (sorry).
With a geared bike, you know that you can make it over any hill. The only question is, how fast? On a one gear bike, it takes a stout effort to get over any hill and the outcome isn’t always certain. The “walk of shame” is always a possibility. It takes good, old hard work to ride hills on a one gear bike.
So, get on that one gear bike and earn your hills (or as they say in backcountry skiing, “earn your turns”). And don’t be afraid of a little hard work, it’s good for you.
Monday, February 12, 2007
More Years, Less Gear
When I first started to cycle and climb seriously in my early 20’s, I was obsessed with gear.
This was pre-Internet days. So like most people, I spent a lot of time skimming catalogs and reading magazines like Climbing. Also, many hours were spent in the local bike and climbing shops talking to the owners and other customers while eyeing and touching the new gear.
(Please support your local bike and mountain shops.)
I guess gear is important in the beginning because everything in the sport is new and success is often proportional to the amount of gear one has their pack.
“If I had lighter wheels, I could be faster.”
“If I had a no. 4 Friend, I could lead that crack.”
Plus gear is fun. It makes you part of a community. It provides you with an identity. How many times have you seen a biner clipped to a pack?
Anyways, gear is important as one learns their craft and gains experience. But as one gets more proficient, less gear is needed.
Watch a solid climber climb; they hardly place any gear as compared to a beginner who sews up a 5.5 crack. And the truly great ones (e.g., John B.) just solo.
This also applies to bikes. A talented cyclist on a DYI single speed can put the hammer down and beat most people to the line. There’s no greater joy in life than a single speed passing a $5000 Seven.
More experience allows one to travel with less gear, but I think there’s more to it than that.
As one grows older, I think most people just don’t want to deal with all that crap. As I head into the mountains these days, I tend to take less and less. I just want to get moving and enjoy my time.
And when comes to cycling, that’s the beauty of one gear bikes - less parts to break, more time to ride.
This all comes back to “one gear conquers all”, which is another way of saying that you really don’t need all that gear in life if you have the skills to get the job done.
This was pre-Internet days. So like most people, I spent a lot of time skimming catalogs and reading magazines like Climbing. Also, many hours were spent in the local bike and climbing shops talking to the owners and other customers while eyeing and touching the new gear.
(Please support your local bike and mountain shops.)
I guess gear is important in the beginning because everything in the sport is new and success is often proportional to the amount of gear one has their pack.
“If I had lighter wheels, I could be faster.”
“If I had a no. 4 Friend, I could lead that crack.”
Plus gear is fun. It makes you part of a community. It provides you with an identity. How many times have you seen a biner clipped to a pack?
Anyways, gear is important as one learns their craft and gains experience. But as one gets more proficient, less gear is needed.
Watch a solid climber climb; they hardly place any gear as compared to a beginner who sews up a 5.5 crack. And the truly great ones (e.g., John B.) just solo.
This also applies to bikes. A talented cyclist on a DYI single speed can put the hammer down and beat most people to the line. There’s no greater joy in life than a single speed passing a $5000 Seven.
More experience allows one to travel with less gear, but I think there’s more to it than that.
As one grows older, I think most people just don’t want to deal with all that crap. As I head into the mountains these days, I tend to take less and less. I just want to get moving and enjoy my time.
And when comes to cycling, that’s the beauty of one gear bikes - less parts to break, more time to ride.
This all comes back to “one gear conquers all”, which is another way of saying that you really don’t need all that gear in life if you have the skills to get the job done.
Monday, February 05, 2007
How to Snowboard - RELAX
In climbing they say, “relax your mind and your ass will follow.”
In snowboarding I say, “relax your body and mind, and your board will follow.”
If you think of the snow slope as a giant ocean wave, then your boarding will approach a new level. And by relaxing your body and mind, you’ll get to that level sooner.
Go out to the ocean or rent a surfing flick, and watch how surfers surf. They don’t fight the waves because they can’t. You can’t fight the ocean. Nature always wins.
Good surfers relax and ride with the flow of the wave.
So the next time you start carving your way down the slope, relax and just ride the contours of the hill.
I have an old climbing t-shirt from 1986 that says, “Fight Gravity.” In snowboarding, your t-shirt shirt should say, “Don’t Fight Gravity.”
Once you get into this mindset, your riding will improve along with your enjoyment.
Go with the flow of the slope and enjoy the ride.
Surf’s up.
In snowboarding I say, “relax your body and mind, and your board will follow.”
If you think of the snow slope as a giant ocean wave, then your boarding will approach a new level. And by relaxing your body and mind, you’ll get to that level sooner.
Go out to the ocean or rent a surfing flick, and watch how surfers surf. They don’t fight the waves because they can’t. You can’t fight the ocean. Nature always wins.
Good surfers relax and ride with the flow of the wave.
So the next time you start carving your way down the slope, relax and just ride the contours of the hill.
I have an old climbing t-shirt from 1986 that says, “Fight Gravity.” In snowboarding, your t-shirt shirt should say, “Don’t Fight Gravity.”
Once you get into this mindset, your riding will improve along with your enjoyment.
Go with the flow of the slope and enjoy the ride.
Surf’s up.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Snowboarding Roots
Roots – I’m not talking about the ABC mini-series.
As the title of the book written by Keith David Hamm says, I’m “Scarred for Life”.
I love skiing and for the last two winters, I’ve been working on my tele-turn. However, it’s hard to ignore your roots.
I skateboarded non-stop for about 10 years (1972 – 1982). I was heavily influenced by the Dogtown and Z-boys era. (Lately, I’ve been looking at buying a new long board.)
During the winters, we snurfed. For you younger kids out there, a snurfer was a small yellow wooden board, no metal edges, no bindings (except for the bike tubes that you nailed on) and a rope connected to the bow of the board.
No steering and limited turns only, just point it straight and ride it out.
Next came Burton boards. Early on, Burton boards meant the same thing as snowboards to us.
Throughout college, I skied (alpine, x-c & telemark), but in the mid-1990s, I started to snowboard again (on a real board, hey where’s the rope?). I snowboarded hard for 10 years and then switched back to tele-skiing.
But on last Wednesday, due to sore knees and an inner force to re-connect, I was back on the board. What a blast. It felt great. I just love cruising down the groomers, carving wide-open turns. It brings me back to my early skating days where we were just interested in walking up the biggest hills and enjoying the long/fast ride down.
Yeah, we spent time in pools and backyard ramps, but most of our skating was spent on the asphalt hills and that’s why I just love the slopes and not the park.
In climbing, they say that you are a product of your first climb. I guess this also applies to skating and snowboarding.
Once you’re in, you’re in.
I will always love skiing, but my heart and soul is with the snow surfing. It’s always a nice feeling going back to your roots.
As the title of the book written by Keith David Hamm says, I’m “Scarred for Life”.
I love skiing and for the last two winters, I’ve been working on my tele-turn. However, it’s hard to ignore your roots.
I skateboarded non-stop for about 10 years (1972 – 1982). I was heavily influenced by the Dogtown and Z-boys era. (Lately, I’ve been looking at buying a new long board.)
During the winters, we snurfed. For you younger kids out there, a snurfer was a small yellow wooden board, no metal edges, no bindings (except for the bike tubes that you nailed on) and a rope connected to the bow of the board.
No steering and limited turns only, just point it straight and ride it out.
Next came Burton boards. Early on, Burton boards meant the same thing as snowboards to us.
Throughout college, I skied (alpine, x-c & telemark), but in the mid-1990s, I started to snowboard again (on a real board, hey where’s the rope?). I snowboarded hard for 10 years and then switched back to tele-skiing.
But on last Wednesday, due to sore knees and an inner force to re-connect, I was back on the board. What a blast. It felt great. I just love cruising down the groomers, carving wide-open turns. It brings me back to my early skating days where we were just interested in walking up the biggest hills and enjoying the long/fast ride down.
Yeah, we spent time in pools and backyard ramps, but most of our skating was spent on the asphalt hills and that’s why I just love the slopes and not the park.
In climbing, they say that you are a product of your first climb. I guess this also applies to skating and snowboarding.
Once you’re in, you’re in.
I will always love skiing, but my heart and soul is with the snow surfing. It’s always a nice feeling going back to your roots.
p.s. My beloved snurfer snapped in two as I was trying to ride some bumps on a steep hillside (behind my favorite bar) during my college days. Rest in peace little snurfer girl.
Monday, January 22, 2007
The Classics - Trap Dyke & Eagle Slide
The Classics
Trap Dyke (Colden) & Eagle Slide (Giant)
The two best climbs in the Adirondacks (ADK), without a doubt, are Trap Dyke on Colden and Eagle Slide on Giant. Both of these climbs are “only” rated class 3 with a few class 4 moves here and there, but at the end of the day, there are no two better climbs in the Northeast. They have everything – route finding, bushwhacking, exploration, beautiful locations, exposure, tall summits and fun descents. If experience means more to you than ratings and competition, then head towards Colden and Giant.
- Trap Dyke (Colden)
This is a great scramble in both summer and wintertime. Start by hiking in from the ADK Loj, pass Marcy Dam (home of the newbie campers) and head towards Avalanche Lake. The hike (or ski) into Avalanche Lake itself is a worthwhile trip. Hike around the lake, pass a large boulder at the top of the lake and then make your way towards the start of the climb.
The first part of the climb is a fun scramble up an often wet gully. Don’t forget to look down at the lake. As one reaches the small waterfall (i.e., top of the gully), climb the wall to the right. Most folks rope up for this small section.
Once above the waterfall, hike for a bit until you can exit to the slide on your right. Don’t exit too early because the summit slides are quite steep here. More than one person has gotten hurt here. There should be a faint herd path to follow that leads to the correct exit route.
Once on the summit slides (don’t forget to look down at the lake again), head straight up to the summit of Colden. The rock here is fantastic, so trust your feet and enjoy the ride up. The views and exposure from these slides are worth the efforts to get here.
After you top out, relax on the summit and enjoy the views of the High Peaks. Remember; please don’t step on the alpine plants.
There are two options for heading down. No. 1 – hike down the backside of Colden and head back towards the ADK Loj. No. 2 – scramble down the back slide for a complete traverse of Colden (highly recommended). The initial section is a bit steep, but after that, it’s easy street. At the bottom of this slide, hang a left and hike back towards the ADK Loj. If your tele-skills are solid, then strap on your boards and tear this bad boy up in the winter.
- Eagle Slide (Giant)
Giant Mountain has great slides on both its eastern and western sides; Eagle Slide is located on the west side of town. Start hiking in from the parking lot. Pretty soon, you’ll come across a large stream. Hang a left and follow the stream upwards. When in doubt, always follow the largest branch of the stream. After a nice bushwhack, you’ll reach the base of Eagle Slide. The beginning and end of the climb are relatively steep, so watch your step. Again, the rock here is great, so just motor on up. A little rope work here and there may come in handy for some people. At the end of the climb, just follow the path to the summit of Giant, which is right there.
After some snacks and a nap, just head down the hiking trail back to your car. Again, if your backcountry skiing skills are up to snuff, ski the mighty Eagle in the winter when the conditions are right just as the “Ski to Die” boys did years ago on crappy gear (leather boots and skinny skis).
- Final Thoughts
Climbing, hiking and skiing in the ADK should be about how to figure things out on your own. And because of that, I purposely left out many details so that everyone can truly explore and enjoy these two classic climbs.
Trap Dyke (Colden) & Eagle Slide (Giant)
The two best climbs in the Adirondacks (ADK), without a doubt, are Trap Dyke on Colden and Eagle Slide on Giant. Both of these climbs are “only” rated class 3 with a few class 4 moves here and there, but at the end of the day, there are no two better climbs in the Northeast. They have everything – route finding, bushwhacking, exploration, beautiful locations, exposure, tall summits and fun descents. If experience means more to you than ratings and competition, then head towards Colden and Giant.
- Trap Dyke (Colden)
This is a great scramble in both summer and wintertime. Start by hiking in from the ADK Loj, pass Marcy Dam (home of the newbie campers) and head towards Avalanche Lake. The hike (or ski) into Avalanche Lake itself is a worthwhile trip. Hike around the lake, pass a large boulder at the top of the lake and then make your way towards the start of the climb.
The first part of the climb is a fun scramble up an often wet gully. Don’t forget to look down at the lake. As one reaches the small waterfall (i.e., top of the gully), climb the wall to the right. Most folks rope up for this small section.
Once above the waterfall, hike for a bit until you can exit to the slide on your right. Don’t exit too early because the summit slides are quite steep here. More than one person has gotten hurt here. There should be a faint herd path to follow that leads to the correct exit route.
Once on the summit slides (don’t forget to look down at the lake again), head straight up to the summit of Colden. The rock here is fantastic, so trust your feet and enjoy the ride up. The views and exposure from these slides are worth the efforts to get here.
After you top out, relax on the summit and enjoy the views of the High Peaks. Remember; please don’t step on the alpine plants.
There are two options for heading down. No. 1 – hike down the backside of Colden and head back towards the ADK Loj. No. 2 – scramble down the back slide for a complete traverse of Colden (highly recommended). The initial section is a bit steep, but after that, it’s easy street. At the bottom of this slide, hang a left and hike back towards the ADK Loj. If your tele-skills are solid, then strap on your boards and tear this bad boy up in the winter.
- Eagle Slide (Giant)
Giant Mountain has great slides on both its eastern and western sides; Eagle Slide is located on the west side of town. Start hiking in from the parking lot. Pretty soon, you’ll come across a large stream. Hang a left and follow the stream upwards. When in doubt, always follow the largest branch of the stream. After a nice bushwhack, you’ll reach the base of Eagle Slide. The beginning and end of the climb are relatively steep, so watch your step. Again, the rock here is great, so just motor on up. A little rope work here and there may come in handy for some people. At the end of the climb, just follow the path to the summit of Giant, which is right there.
After some snacks and a nap, just head down the hiking trail back to your car. Again, if your backcountry skiing skills are up to snuff, ski the mighty Eagle in the winter when the conditions are right just as the “Ski to Die” boys did years ago on crappy gear (leather boots and skinny skis).
- Final Thoughts
Climbing, hiking and skiing in the ADK should be about how to figure things out on your own. And because of that, I purposely left out many details so that everyone can truly explore and enjoy these two classic climbs.
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